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NEWS | Oct. 25, 2019

USS Porter Conducts Bilateral Exercise with Georgia

By Mass Commincation Specialist 3rd Class T. Logan Keown

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) participated in maritime interoperability training with Georgian maritime counterparts in the Black Sea, Oct. 25, 2019.

The training was a bilateral visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercise where both U.S. and Georgian Coast Guard boarding teams simulated the boarding of a suspect foreign merchant vessel aboard the Porter. During the exercise, the combined U.S.-Georgian team shared tactics, maneuvered outside and inside the ship, assessed various situations, took detainees for processing, and successfully completed the scenario.   

"We conducted some great bilateral training today with the Georgian Coast Guard,” said Cmdr. Craig Trent, Porter’s commanding officer. “We definitely learned from one another and strengthened our partnership.  I look forward to future opportunities to evolve our interoperability with the Georgians."

The U.S. routinely practices interoperability and high-end warfare with allies and partners in the Black Sea. Multinational training enhances interoperability with partners and allies allowing us to maintain vigilance to the degree necessary to promote a secure and peaceful region.

“This was a great opportunity to integrate our teams, increase interoperability and share best practices with the Georgian Coast Guard boarding team,” said Lt. j.g. Meadow Jackson, Porter’s VBSS boarding officer. “Their team was incredibly professional and we look forward to future training opportunities with our partners in Georgia.”

The U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with international law, including the Montreux Convention.

Porter, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, deployed from Naval Station Rota on July 22, 2019, on its seventh forward-deployed naval forces patrol.

While on patrol, Porter is scheduled to conduct naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.